2017 United States Marine Corps KC-130 crash

2017 United States Marine Corps KC-130 Crash
The Lockheed KC-130T involved in the crash, in 2012
Accident
Date July 10, 2017 (2017-07-10)
Summary Under investigation
Site Leflore County, Mississippi, United States
33°28′23″N 90°26′56″W / 33.473°N 90.449°W / 33.473; -90.449Coordinates: 33°28′23″N 90°26′56″W / 33.473°N 90.449°W / 33.473; -90.449
Aircraft
Aircraft type Lockheed KC-130T Hercules
Operator United States Marine Corps
Registration 165000
Flight origin Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
Destination Naval Air Facility El Centro, California
Occupants 16
Passengers 7
Crew 9
Fatalities 16 (all)
Survivors 0

On July 10, 2017, a Lockheed KC-130T Hercules aircraft of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) crashed in Leflore County, Mississippi, killing all 16 people on board.[1][2][3] The aircraft had the call sign "Yanky 72" and was from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 (VMGR-452) based at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York. Debris from the aircraft was found in Leflore County, Mississippi. As of May 2018, the incident is still under investigation.[4] The USMC released a statement calling the event a "mishap."[5]

The crash is the deadliest Marine Corps disaster since 2005, when a U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed in Iraq, killing 31 people.[6]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was a Lockheed KC-130T Hercules tanker/transport of the United States Marine Corps built in 1993, with Bureau Number (BuNo.) 165000.[7] The aircraft was nicknamed Triple Nuts because of the abbreviated number "000" on its nose.[7] The aircraft was initially delivered to the United States Air Force in 1993 and later was transferred to the United States Navy and then assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps. It was damaged on the ground during a storm on 1 June 2004 at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. As a result of the storm, it was flipped onto its port wingtip, damaging a refueling pod. It was quickly repaired and placed back into service.

Accident

The aircraft was reported to have broken up at an altitude around 20,000 feet (6,100 m) while en route from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina to Naval Air Facility El Centro in California,[8][9] before it crashed 85 miles (137 km) north of Jackson, Mississippi, killing all sixteen occupants. Brigadier General Bradley James said immediately after the accident, "Indications are something went wrong at cruise altitude." The aircraft was also reported to have been carrying weapons and ammunition.[10] Debris was spread in a 5-mile (8 km) radius from the crash site and firefighters attending the crash site used 4,000 US gallons (15,000 l) of foam to extinguish the post-crash fire.[11][12][13] Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft on fire with a smoking engine and descending in a "flat spin".[14] As of July 2018, no cause of the accident been released.[15]

Crew and Passenger List[16]

The flight crew from VMGR 452:

Major Caine M. Goyette

Captain Sean E. Elliott

Gunnery Sergeant Mark A. Hopkins

Gunnery Sergeant Brendan C. Johnson

Staff Sergeant Joshua M. Snowden

Sergeant Owen J. Lennon

Sergeant Julian M. Kevianne

Corporal Daniel L. Baldassare

Corporal Collin J. Schaaff

Members of 2nd Raider Battalion that were on board:

Staff Sergeant William J. Kundrat

Staff Sergeant Robert H. Cox

Sergeant Talon R. Leach

Sergeant Chad E. Jenson[16]

Sergeant Joseph J. Murray

Sergeant Dietrich A. Schmieman

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Ryan Lohrey

Memorial

On July 14, 2018 a memorial located near the crash site in Leflore County was dedicated to the fallen. Part of the stretch of U.S. Highway 82 that ran through the crash site was also renamed YANKY 72 Memorial Highway.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ DICKSTEIN, COREY (July 12, 2017). "General: Plane developed in air problems that led to fatal crash" (July 13, 2017). STARS AND STRIPES. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "KC-130 crash: Plane developed problems high in the air, general says". CBS/AP. July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ LeBlanc, Paul (2017-07-10). "Military plane crashes in Mississippi, 16 dead". CNN. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  4. ↑ News, A. B. C. (2017-07-10). "Marine Corps plane crashes in Mississippi, fatalities confirmed". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  5. ↑ Marines, U. S. (2017-07-10). "A USMC KC-130 mishap occurred the evening of July 10. Further information will be released as available". @USMC. Archived from the original on 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  6. ↑ Pettus, Emily; Solis, Rogelio. "16 dead in Mississippi in worst Marine crash since 2005". ABC News. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  7. 1 2 Fentress, Ellen Ann, Richard Pérez-Peña and Dave Philipps (12 July 2017). "Marine Plane Had Emergency at High Altitude, General Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  8. ↑ "Marine Corps cargo aircraft crashes in Mississippi killing at least 16 crew". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  9. ↑ "Military plane crash kills 16 in rural Mississippi". The Guardian. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  10. ↑ McLaughlin, Eliott C.; Smith, Tristan; LeBlanc, Paul (2017-07-12). "Engine from Mississippi Marine plane crash found, sheriff says". CNN. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  11. ↑ Hartley-Parkinson, Richard. "16 dead after military plane carrying weapons explodes mid-air then crashes". Metro. Associated Newspapers. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "Mississippi crash: Sixteen dead in Marines Corps plane incident". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  13. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  14. ↑ "Marine Crash Inquiry Continues But No Answers Expected Soon". www.military.com. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  15. 1 2 Scott, Andrea (2018-07-14). "1 year after deadly KC−130T crash, victims are remembered with memorial near Mississippi site". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
  16. 1 2 "Names of 16 lost on Marine flight "Yanky 72" released - News Mississippi". newsms.fm. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
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